FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Washington & Jefferson wrestling team will end a six-week hiatus when it competes at the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals on Friday-Saturday, January 9-10.

The event is part of "Mat Mayhem," a multi-divisional event spanning NCAA Division II and Division III, the NAIA, the NJCAA and a women's division. United Wrestling Group hosts Mat Mayhem, which is presented by Hibiclens and the United States Marine Corps in honor of Cliff Keen, a national champion wrestler and coach as well as a charter member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind. will serve as the host venue.

A total of 24 teams from Division III will be in attendance, including 19 ranked in the NWCA Top 30 poll. W&J opens up with No. 11 Cornell College (Iowa) at 9 a.m. on Friday morning. The Rams enter the tournament with a 5-5 dual-meet record, while the Presidents hold a 1-4 mark. The winner advances to a second-round match with No. 10 Augsburg (Minn.) (4-1) at 11 a.m. on Friday. The loser of the opener drops into a consolation bout at 1 p.m. on the same day.

The teams were chosen based on their returning points from the 2014 NCAA Division III National Championships. Seeding was based on the national rankings thus far this season.

November 22 marked the last time W&J competed, taking part in the Mount Union duals against John Carroll, Baldwin Wallace, Muskingum and the host Purple Raiders.

W&J boasts three wrestlers receiving national recognition: Nick Carr (10-0) is the consensus top-ranked wrestler at 157 pounds, topping both the NWCA and d3wrestle.com lists. Jacob Spearman (11-2) and Sonnieboy Blanco (9-4) are  "Honorable Mention" selections at 133 and 174, respectively.

"It's good national exposure," said W&J fourth-year head coach Tommy Prairie. "We've been recognized individually, but now we are being recognized as one of the top teams in the country."

All-session adult tickets are $40, while student tickets are $30. Single-day tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students. Action begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, January 9 with the final rounds set for 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 10. 

View the tournament brackets and live streams via the TrackWrestling.com website.